give it time
by silver-kin
Summary: In some realities, there lives are simpler. (a cat au)
1. temper temper

Notes: Written for FuruMiyu Week (2014), prompt: conflict. Inspired by and based, with utmost respect, on the lovely art by swimmingaomines over at tumblr.

Disclaimer: Diamond no Ace belongs to Terajima Yuuji.

**every single time 01 – Day 2: Conflict**

They don't say a word to each other for the rest of the night. The dirty dishes sit unwashed in the sink; the matching mugs sit untouched on the counter, next to the now cold kettle.

Furuya surrenders for bed at 10:37pm. His day clothes go into the hamper, switched out for a thinner t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Pausing by the edge of the bed, he glances to the door, which he has left slightly open. His bones feel heavy

He slips under the covers, and stares up at the ceiling.

Sleep doesn't come.

By the time the door creaks open, Furuya is still wide awake, curled up on his side with his eyes closed. He hears the slow patter of footsteps crossing the room, and then the mattress is dipping behind him, cloth rustling softly. The other man tugs at the covers, carefully; Furuya loosens his grip just a fraction, and listens as Miyuki settles in for the night.

The space between them yawns wide, unresolved.

Furuya blinks rapidly, bites his lip against the prickling in his eyes.

_If I could,_ he almost says, but even that isn't good enough. Nothing is.

And nothing will be.


	2. rainy days

Disclaimer: Diamond no Ace belongs to Terajima Yuuji.

**give it time 02 – rainy days**

Tanba yawns, shifts around until he's comfortable.

The house is dark, quiet. From his sprawl on the couch, Tanba watches as Chris paces the width of the garden door, over and over. The other cat pauses every now and then to glance outside, scrunching his nose at the steady patter of raindrops on the glass.

After a while, Chris pads towards him, settling at the foot of the couch. Tanba eyes him sleepily, blinking when the other cat reaches up to bat at his tail. When that doesn't get him much of a response, Chris stretches up on his hind legs to meow in Tanba's face, bumping their noses together.

Usually, Tanba would jump at the invitation to play, but they've just finished eating, and the only thing he's feeling up to at the moment is a nap.

So he blinks again, and doesn't move.

After a few more fruitless attempts, Chris wanders off, feet padding softly against the floor. Tanba hears him scratch at the glass doors, making quiet sounds of disgruntlement. Tanba half-listens, half-dozes, letting his lethargy take over as he drifts off.

Suddenly, the quiet becomes ominous, almost predatory. It prickles at his nerves just enough to drag him awake, and he lifts his head, scanning the area.

It's still raining outside, but Chris is nowhere to be seen; close by, there is the telltale sign of measured breathing.

Fur bristling, he turns just as Chris leaps, lithe and graceful—

And lands right on top of him.

Tanba yowls, startled. The struggle is brief, all soft paws and retracted claws—before they're tumbling off the edge of the couch, still tangled in each other.

Twisting in midair, Tanba reorients himself, landing on his feet. Some distance away, Chris rolls upright, and pauses. His shoulders tense, back arching and head lowered, as he tries to gauge Tanba's reaction.

But his tail stands rigid, his eyes wide in anticipation, and Tanba just can't bring himself to be irritated over the lost nap.

Instead he drops into a crouch, and lunges.

Chris springs away from him, practically bouncing with glee.

(Tanba catches up to him as they round a corner; he drags his claws against the floor, pushes across the last bit of space between them, and sends them both rolling into the kitchen)


	3. i've got you

Disclaimer: Diamond no Ace belongs to Terajima Yuuji.

**give it time 03 – i've got you**

They're in the middle of a game of tag when the door clicks open. Tanba freezes in place, head whipping in the direction of the entrance; Chris is just about to trot forward in greeting when he hears the unfamiliar voices.

For a moment, he goes still too, listening. But then the loud voice of their human booms through the hallway, and he relaxes.

It's a pretty big crowd, today. Loud, too. The strangers spill into the living room, stomping over and flopping onto the couches. Chris creeps out of the way, joins Tanba where he's backpedalled into a wall, watching the commotion with wary eyes.

One of newcomers turn in their direction, shouts something and begins making her way towards them. Chris holds his ground, but Tanba turns on his heels and escapes into the kitchen.

Chris glances over, considers following him—and jerks his attention back to the human kneeling next to him. He watches as the woman coos at him, only mildly interested, until she drops a hand on the back of his neck, scratching gently.

He relaxes, enjoying the thrills of pleasure running down his spine. He lets his eyes drop close, half-listening to the noisy chatter filling up the house as he arches into the touch slightly, the beginnings of a purr rumbling in his throat. And then—

Tanba hisses, low and full of warning.

Chris turns away, dashes into the kitchen. He finds Tanba backed in a corner, ears laid flat against his head, tail swishing, every strand of fur on his body standing up. In front of him, one of the humans from earlier is folded in a crouch, reaching out with one hand.

He sprints over, leaping into the space between them both. Raising his head, Chris bares his teeth in clear warning. When the human doesn't back off, he shifts his weight forward, and drops low, spits out a loud hiss.

The human finally backs off, muttering under his breath as he stands, and moves away. He pitches his voice higher as he leaves the kitchen, to the answering calls of the others from the living room.

But Chris ignores them in favour of turning to Tanba, who watches his approach with narrowed eyes, growling quietly. Chris pads closer, moves forward to brush noses before he decides against it. He turns away instead, rubs along the length of Tanba's form in a full body gesture. He can still feel the ripples of anxiety in Tanba's posture, the fight in him coiled tightly in his legs and shoulders. Tanba goes silent; Chris waits.

Tanba relaxes minutely, hardly twitching, but eventually his posture goes soft, pliant. He shifts in place, and the next time Chris leans in, Tanba returns the gesture, bumping their heads together.

Chris drapes himself over Tanba, noses at his ear.

Tanba flicks his tail against him, and answers with a quiet purr.


End file.
